Somerset Patriots Post-Game Notes: Game 91

Duane Below has struggled against the Long Island Ducks all season. Monday night was no different.

On Star Wars night, the force didn't seem to be with the veteran lefty, who allowed his eighth and ninth homers to the Ducks this season in a 7-2 loss.

"Tonight, it was the story of the longball," said Patriots manager Brett Jodie. "All their RBI's came on home runs except for the (Cody) Puckett single. I thought if he could have escaped without the (Taylor) Ard home run...that was obviously a big one. It's unfortunate, because he's been trying to adapt since they've been hitting him well. Today, with the exception of the first inning where they hit some balls hard, he had them off-balance, but they still left the yard and scored runs."

Below, who was very deservingly an All-Star this season, is now 0-2 with an 11.44 ERA in four starts against the Ducks in 2018.

"Sometimes, you'll see a certain matchup with a guy where it's like, 'This guy really sees this pitcher well,'" Jodie said. "But usually it's not the majority of a lineup. There are a few guys in that lineup that really see the ball well off of him, and they seem to be up in some crucial situations. Usually, you'll get a guy or two that really see a guy well, but it seems like there's a few of them (in Long Island). You mix all that together, and every out is hard-fought, and it wears you down a little bit."